Oil-circulating journal-box.



- APPLICATION F ILIED JUNEIQ'I WIG- 1. W. cummm. OIL CIRCULATING JOURNALBOX.-

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

,Pmmd mm 4, 1911?.

-' J. w. cummm. OIL CIRCULATING JOURNAL BOX. APPLICATION HLED JUNE I9,I916.

4 Patented m0. 4,1917.

2 SHE'TSSHEET 2.

f Jm Wm? WMWWW INVENTOR ra n rare JOHN W. CURRAN, OF NEWPORT, KENTUCKY,

OIL-CIRCULATING JOURNAL-BOX.

raaaeao.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. a, 1917.

Application filed June 19, 1916. Serial No. 104,569.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, JOHN W. GURRAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newport, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky,have invented a new and useful Oil-Circulating Journal-Box, of which.the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to journal boxes, and has particularreference to an improved construction of that type of jour nal box whichis used on freight and passenger equipment cars, the improvements beingdesigned to strengthen the journal box, and to more eflicientlylubricate the journals mounted therein.

An object of this invention is to provide a journal box, which meets allof the re quirements of the Master Car Builders Association rules, andwhich at the same time is provided with novel means for effecting aconstant circulation of the oil, when the ournal is in motion, and whichwill prevent the excessive waste of the oil which occurs by the use ofall prior ournal boxes.

This invention also aims at the provision of means, in a journal boxconstruction, which will hold the waste from rolling or shifting, andjamming against the side of the journal box, and prevent the waste fromwiping off the oil from the journal, which would create undue frictionand cause undue heating of the journal and the parts bearing against thesame.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a passage orchamber in the bottom of the journal box, through which the oil mayfreely flow as it is returned from the journal, and which is notseparated from the waste by a perforated wall, or the like, but which isclosed at one side by the waste only, the waste freely absorbing theoil, and there being no openings to become clogged, nor inaccessiblepockets to catch grit and dirt.

A still further object of this invention is to improve journal boxes toaccomplish the above outlined results, without placing any loose orseparate parts in the box. The in vention is embodied in a constructionwhich is integral and cast with the journal box; which adds but littleweight to the box, and which incurs but slight increased cost in themanufacture of the box.

The present invention also provides a journal box, for passengerequipment cars, or where the journal box is mounted in a pedestal, whichis of such construction that the bearing surface between the journal boxand the pedestal is increased substantially one hundred per cent. Thisfeature of the invention doubly increases the life of the journal box,and the life of the pedestal; prevents the wearing of shoulders on thepedestal and prevents the tilting of the journal box, such conditionsresulting in the jarring of the passenger equipment cars when intransit; and prevents the breaking down of the journal box, which latteris a factor of danger;

Other objects and advantages ofthis invention, which are of more or lessimportance than the above, will be fully brought out in the followingspecific disclosure of the present preferred embodiment, the same beingillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure '1 1s a slde elevation of a journal box for passenger equipmentcars, showing the improved lateral bearing surface for contact with thepedestal.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section through the journal box with ajournal mounted therein, and showing the improved interior constructionof the box.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the same on the line 44 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the journal box on the line 5-5of Fig. 3, showing the journal packing in position.

Fig. 6 is a sectional perspective view, taken through the box lookingdown into the bottom thereof, and showing the location of the bottom andtransverse flanges and the inclined partition wall.

ieferring to these drawings, wherein like parts are designated bysimilar numerals of reference throughout the several views, 10designates an integral journal box casting of the usual approvedconstruction and design, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As shown in Figs. 3,1 and 5, this journal box 10 has, at its rear end, the usualtransversely extending dust guard chamber 11; a suitable dust guard 12in the chamber 11, and which is mounted in the usual manner on the dustguard bearing 13 of the axle 14, the latter having a ournal 15projecting into the rear end of the journal box 10, and provided on itsextremity with the usual axle collar 16; has the usual journal bearing17 against which the journal 15. bears; has the usual .journal bearingkey 18 to support the'bearing 17 and has a cover 19 hinged in the usualmanner upon the forward end of the journal box to close the same.

The present invention provides certain additions to the integralconstruction of the journal box 10, which strengthen the bearingsurfaces of the box at its points of engagement with the usualsupporting pedes- .tal, which retain the oil in the box, and whicheffect the complete and continuous circulation of the oil when thejournal 15 is in motion. As shown in Figs. 8 to 6 of the drawings, thejournal box 10 is provided in each side with a horizontal bottom flangeor' wall 20. The flange or wall 20 is integral with the adjacent wall orside of the box 10, and preferably tapers in thickness from the sideof'the box to its longitudinal free edge. The flanges 20 are located buta short distance above the bottom 21 of the journal box, to provide arelatively small oil receiving channel or chamber along the side of thejournal box beneath the flanges 20. Y

The flanges 20 pro ect inwardly from the opposite sides ofthe journalbox throughout a greater portion of the length of the same, being mergedwith the outer curved wall of the box, and have upper inwardly slopingfaces. The said channels or chambers for the oil beneath the flanges areopen along their inner adjacent opposite sides throughout the entirelength of the box, so that the oil is permitted to flow freely frombeneaththe flanges 20 over the bottom of the box.

The inner ends of the flanges 20 connect with an upwardly extendingandrearwardly inclind inner partition wall 22. This partitition wall 22extends substantially half way up within the journal box 10, and isinclined sufficiently to provide a relatively large space between thelower end of the same and the dust guard 12. This partition wall 22 isprovided with a curved recess in its upper edge to fit the journal 15,and in which the journal turns.

The partition wall 22 has, at its lower end, a horizontal forwardlyprojecting flange 23, which extends transversely across the rear end ofthe journal box 10 in the plane of the flanges 20, and which merges intoand connects with the inner ends of the same. This transverse flange 23,like the flanges 20, tapers toward its free edge, and provides aninclined upper face adapted to direct oil, falling on the flange, intothe central portion of the journal box. 7

A slot or passage 21 is formed through the transverse flange 23, andthrough the lower end ofthe partition wall 22, to permit the free flowof oil from behind the wa l 22 forwardly into the journal box. Thebottom 21 of the journal box has, at its rear end between the dust guard12 and the wall 22,

a transversely extending oil well 25, formed preferably by thedepression of the bottom 21 at that point, to receive and collect oilwhich is thrown ofl from or dropped by the journal. The upper edge ofthe partition wall 22 is spaced from the dust guard 12 to providetherebetween a passage suflicient only to permit the oil to pass downinto the well 25 from the journal 15.

From Fig. 5, it will be noted that the usual journal packing 26 iscompressed or jammed into the lower part of the journal box 10, and iswedged or forced down between, and slightly beneath, the free edges ofthe flanges 20, to bind and hold the packing 26 in the bottom of thebox. The packing 26 forms opposite lateral walls along the inneropposite sides of the lateral oil channels to confine the bulk of theoil beneath the flanges 20, and to permit the free absorption of the oilby the packing or waste through the entire length of the box, withoutthe passage of the oil through perforated walls, or the like, whichfrequently become clogged. The bottom flanges 20 are spaced above thebottom 21 a suflicient distance only to permit the wedging of thepacking 21 beneath the free edges of the flanges. It will be noted thatthe width of the flanges is greated than their distance from the flooror bottom of the box and that the flanges are closer to the bottom ofthe box than they are to the journal. This arrangement of the flangesprevents the packing from extending too far beneath the same, andprovides for an uninterrupted oil passage in each side of the journalbox extending from end to end thereof.

The wedging of the packing between the flanges 20 insures the retentionof the packing in the central portion of. the journal box, and preventsthe packing from becoming jammed against the side of the box, in whichposition it bears with undue friction against the journal 15, and wipesoil' all of the oil from the same. lVith the journal boxes having nomeans for holding the packing in place, the journal bearings and thejournals themselves become heated to an excessive degree.

The journal box 10 has the usual external vertically extending ribs 27.a rrangrd near the opposite ends, and at the opposite sides of the box10, for reinforcing the latter.

A feature of this invention is to provide bearing blocks 29, which maybe cast integral with the box, and which are disposed on opposite sidesof the box and n'iidway between the end ribs 27, and are ofsubstantially the same width and thickness as the intermediate bearingribs usually employed. These blocks 29 increase the bearing sun facesover one hundred per cent. at the op posite sides of the journal box,and prefer ably extend, as shown to ad Vantage in 1, from the bottom ofthe box to a point substantially two-thirds the height of the journalbox.

Vertical ribs 28 extend upwardly from the upper end, and from theopposite edges of the bearing blocks 29, the ribs 28 being spaced apart,and the intervening upper edge of the blocks 29 being beveled outwardly,as at 80, to prevent accumulations of dirt, moisture, and the like,which would tend to grind and injure the bearing faces.

l/Vhen the journal box is mounted in a pedestal, of the approved andwell known construction, the blocks 29, at the opposite sides of thejournal box, present broad flat bearing faces for contact with thetransversely extending reinforcing webs of the pedestal, so that theusual grooving and weakening of these webs cannot take place, as is theresult with the use of the spaced apart vertical ribs now usually formedat the opposite sides of the journal box. The journal box usually hasabout one and onehalf inches vertical play in the pedestal, and theblocks 29 are made of suflicient height to provide ample bearingsurfaces for the journal box against the pedestal at all positions ofthe journal box. As the webs of the pedestal, and the blocks 29 of thejournal box, have relatively broad faces lying in contact throughoutpractically their entire extents, the lives of the pedestal and thejournal box are considerably prolonged, on account of the widedistribution of frictional contact or pressure which is had between thejournal box and the pedestal.

In operation, when the journal 15 is rotated, its frictional cbntactwith the hearing 17 heats the ournal, and the heat of the journalincreases the capillary action of the oil in the waste. The oil is thusfed up nardly against the journal from the bottom of the journal box.

The more friction between the journal 15 and its bearing 17, the moreheat is pro duced, and consequently the more rapid is the absorption ofthe oil by the waste, as the latter feeds the oil upwardly against thejournal. The oil which tends to pass out of the rear end of the journalbox is thrown off from the inner end of the journal against, and intothe passage behind the wall 22, and is deposited in the oil well 25. Oilflows forwardly from the well 25 into the lateral channels beneathflanges 20, and from there it is absorbed by the packing 26 and carriedupwardly against the face of the ournal 15.

The oil which drips upon the upper face of the inclined partition Wall22 is deflected downwardly over the wall, through the slot 24, or overthe flange 23 into the bottom of the journal box.

It will thus be observed that there is a free circulation of oil, andthat there are no perforated walls, screens, or the like, to impede theflowing of the oil. The well 25 is depressed in the bottom 21 of thejournal box to not only retain a quantity of oil in the well, but alsoto catch sediment and any foreign substance which may be found in theoil.

These flanges 20, and the partition wall 22, provide ample space for aquantity of oil, and prevent the forcing out of the oil from the boxwhen the waste, or journal packing, is squeezed into the box in theusual manner. When the waste is forced into the journal box, the oil isforced to the top, and instead of flowing out of the inner or back endof the box onto the ground, runs into the space between the partition 22and the dust guard 12, and circulates through the lateral channels, andis absorbed by the waste.

The oil chamber, between the partition 22 and the dust guard 12, willalso contain air, which will assist in maintaining the oil, andsurrounding parts of the journal box, from overheating. The partitionwall 22 confines the packing in the journal box, and holds it out of theoil chamber.

The increased bearing surfaces at the op )osite sides of the journal box10 materially increase the life of the box, and the life of the pedestalin which the box may be mounted, and effect the smooth riding of thepassenger equipment cars.

hat is claimed is 1. A journal box having spaced integral longitudinalflanges arranged along each side and also transversely at the inner endof the box, said flanges being arranged in substantially the samehorizontal plane and located at points nearer to the bottom of the boxthan to the journal thereof and having their upper faces inclined, thetwo side flanges joining with the end flange and all three flanges beingspaced from the bottom of the box, so as to provide oil channels betweensaid flanges and the bottom of the box, whereby packing may be wedged inthe space between the edges of the flanges, and an oil chamber at theinner end of the box communicating with the channels beneath saidflanges and adapted to receive oil dropped from the journal.

2.- A journal box having spaced integral longitudinal flanges arrangedalong each side of the box, and a transverse flange provided at the endof the box, the longitudinal flanges joining with the transverse flangeat the inner end of the box, so as to provide a substantially continuousflange, which flange is located'entirely below the plane of the bottomof the journal, said flanges being spaced above the bottom of the box,so as to provide oil channels beneath the same, and also being taperedtoward their outer ends and defining a rectangular space of materiallysmaller dimensions than the box, 1n which space packing may be receivedbelow the journal and wedged in place, said packing thereby constitutingthe top wall of said channels.

3. A journal box having inwardly projecting substantially horizontalflanges provided at the sides and end of the box and spaced above thebottom of the latter, said flanges having a width greater than theirdistance from said bottom, whereby when packing is wedged between theflanges inclosed channels will be formed with the packing serving as thetop wall thereof.

4:. A journal box having an integral partition wall arrangedtransversely in and spaced at the top and bottom from the inner endof-the box, and also spaced at its lower end from the bottom of the box,said partition wall fitting at its upper edge around the journal, andintegral flanges arranged longitudinally along the opposite sides of thebox and also transversely along the lower end of the partition wall, thetransverse flange merging with the said partition wall and all of saidflanges extending inwardly from the 7 sides and end within the box atpoints considerably below the bottom of the journal and spaced from thebottom of the box, whereby packing may be wedged between the edges ofsaid flanges, said flanges and said partition wall defining acommunicating oil space orfchamber along the bottom and at the inner endof the box, to permit oil dropped from the journal to be delivered backof the partition wall and circulate beneath said flanges to the packingheld by the flanges.

5. A journal box having an integral partition wall arranged transverselyin and spaced from the inner end of the box from the top to'the bottom,and also spaced at its lower end from the bottom of the box, saidpartition wall being curved at its upper edge to fit around the journal,and inclined downwardly awayrfrom the inner end of the box so that itslower end is spaced farther away from the inner end of the box than itsupper end, and integral bottom flanges arranged longitudinally along'the opposite sides of the box and also transversely along the lower endof the partition wall, the transverse bottom flange forming acontinuation of the said partition wall and merging therewith and alsomerging into the longitudinal bottom flanges, all of said bottom flangesbeing spaced from the bottom of the box and being located nearer to saidbottom than to the journal and having their upper faces inclined andtheir lower faces substantiallyhorizontal, whereby packing may be wedgedin the space between said flanges, the said flanges and said partitionwall defining a communicating oil space or chamber 1,2es,82o

along the bottom and at the inner end of the box, to permit oil droppedfrom the ournal to be delivered back of the partition wall and circulatebeneath said flanges to the packing held by the flanges.

6. A journal box having a partition wall arranged transversely in andspaced from the inner end of the box and forming therewith a chamberadapted to receive oil from the journal and the forward portion of thebox, and bottom flanges arranged along the opposite sides of the box inspaced relation to the bottom thereof and with their op posed inneredges in spaced relation to each other, said flanges being adapted toform with packing held therebetween suitable channels, said partitionwall having an opening at its lower end, whereby the circulation of oilfrom the chamber to the packing and back to the chamber is permitted.

7. A journal box having a dust guard at the inner end thereof, anintegral partition wall arranged transversely in and spaced from theinner end of the box and from the dust guard forming a chamber forreceiving oil and also spaced at its lower end from the bottom of thebox, an oil well in the bottom of the box directly below the partitionwall, said partition wall being curred at its upper edge to fit aroundthe journal and inclined inwardly and downwardly, and bot-tom flangesarranged along the opposite sides of the box and also along the lowerend of the partition wall and extending inwardly within the box so as tocontract the space thereof, said flanges being spaced from the bottom ofthe box so that packing may be wedged therebetween and form inclosedchannels therewith, whereby oil dropped from the journal is deliveredback from the partition wall and circulated through the channels back tothe packing.

8. A journal box having a dust guard in the inner end thereof, apartition wall ex tending transversely across the inner end of: thejournal box adjacent to the dust guard, and inclining downwardly awayfrom the dust guard to provide an oil chamber between the dust guard andthe partition wall, a horizontal flange provided at the lower end of thepartition wall, and longitudinally extending flanges projecting inwardlytoward each other, and arranged along the opposite sides of the journalbox, said flanges being disposed in spaced relation to the relation tothe bottom of the journal box to provide oil channels in the sides ofthe box, and said partition wall terminating above the bottom of the boxto admit oil from the oil chamber into said channels.

9. A journal box, a transverse partition wall arranged at the inner endof the box, said partition wall having its upper end spaced from theinner end of the box to permit the passage of oil downwardly mas er)therebetween, and having its lower end spaced from said inner end of thebox and above the bottom thereof to provide a chamber for oil, andflanges projecting inwardly from the side walls of the box and from thepartition wall in spaced relationto the bottom of the box, to permit thefree circulation of the oil from beneath the partition wall, saidpartition wall and the flange projecting from the same having a slottherein to permit oil flowing downwardly over the wall to pass into theoil chamber.

10. A journal box having exterior vertically extending bearing blocksarranged upon the opposite sides and intermediate the ends of thejournal box to provide substantial bearing faces at the opposite sidesof the journal box for contact with a pedestal.

11. A journal box having exterior vertically extending bearing blocksarranged upon the opposite sides and intermediate the ends of the box,said bloc-ks extending from the bottom of the journal box to a pointnear the top of the box to provide a substantial bearing surface at eachside of the box for contact with a pedestal, the journal box also havingspaced apart vertical ribs extending upwardly from the upper ends of thebearing blocks and from the opposite edges of the same, the upper endsof the blocks between the ribs being beveled outwardly.

12. A journal box having on each side an exterior vertically extendingbearing block being of a width and height to substantially correspond tothe width and height of the reinforcing web in the side of the usualpedestal in which the journal box is adapted to be mounted, said bearingblocks providing broad bearing faces to distribute the pressure andfrictional contact between the journal box and the pedestal and preventundue wearing of the same at any one point.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoEtfl'lXGCi my signature in the presenec of two witnesses.

J OHN l/V. CURRAN.

Witnesses:

C. H. DUNKHoRs'r, HARRY WEBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patenta,

Washington, D. G.

